Jamestown weekly alert. [volume], March 02, 1883, Image 2

About Jamestown weekly alert. [volume] (Jamestown, Stutsman County, D.T. [N.D.]) 1882-1925

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The Alert
DAILY AMD WEEKLY
LRSHALL McCLURE.
Tile -Yankton Press and Dakotaian
^ays: "The capital contest has assumed
anew phase. North Dakota enters the
Held with Jamestown as the point upon
which its ambition is centered."
Fargo Aigus: A telegram froux Editor
Mcciure, of the Alert, states that James­
town people are taking active measures
to stop the passage of the Wasburn repeal
of the pre-emption act. Jamestown is
ever Alert.
•hi'-'..
Uv a rearrangement of Edmunds,
Brown, Day and McPhersou counties,
three new counties have been formed.
Aberdeen 4ias neon made the county seat
of Brown county, and property has as a
consequence materially advanced in price.
A large amount ot' property is owned by
Jamestown citizens, who will lie glad to
learn of the rearrangement referred to.
Whiles ltting the Pulman on the
"Royal Route," Tuesday night, on the
way from Chicago to St. Paul we \ver°
surprised to see our county treasurer, W.
E. Mansfield, accompanied by his bride,
come in at Aladisou, Wis. They stopped
at Fargo yesterday morning and will
come to Jamestown on the train to-day,
Mrs. Mansfield is a pleasant and amiable
lady, and as sue comes to make her home
among us she will no doubt be received
by our courteous and hospitable people in
such a way as to make her feel at home
in our sprightly and beautiful little city.
The Bismarck Tribune notices with
apparent regret that the Alert has as­
sumed a more serious and business like
air of late, but docs not seem to under­
stand the cause. The fact is that there
has been such a revival of business in the
North Dakota metropolis that the Alert
finds all it cui do to attend to the heavy
duties that have been forced upon it.
When the boom strikes Bismarck, if it
ever does, the Tribune will have to pull
off its coat like the Alert and go to work
in earnest, laying aside all levity for
something more profitable.
The Onawa Gazette says it is under­
stood in railway circles that the work the
Milwaukee company has mapped out to
commencc earl}' this season, and which it
considers as most important, will include
the buildiug of about sixty-live miles of
line in the Jim valley, in Dakota, com­
pleting various branches now in opera­
tion, which would give the Milwaukee a
direct line from Jamestown, an the Nor­
thern Pacific, down the Jim valley to
Sioux City, and thence a direct connec­
tion with Chicago via the Defiance line.
It would seem to the casual observer as
though the construction of this line was
of prime necessity to the Milwaukee sys­
tem, forming a connecting link which it
cannot well afford to do without.
The Minneapolis Tribune says that the
progress made in the construction of the
Northern Pacific railway is wonderful, if
not unprecedented. Correcting an error
which appeared in that paper, Mr. A. L.
Stokes, general eastern agent of the com­
pany, writes to the' Chicago Journal to
say that it is the intention to complete
the road by the 1st of September next,
which is a month earlier than the date
originally fixed upon by the present man­
agement. Trains are now running through
to Livington, Montana, 1,030 miles west
of Minneapolis, and will enter Bozeman
in two weeks. The Pend d'Oreille divi­
sion
is in operation from Wallula Junc­
tion to Thompson's river, Montana, 321
miles. The gap is being closed from both
ends as fast as money and human energy
can close it, and six months hence the
great northern transcontinental route
will be an accomplished fact.
While East the editor of the Alert was
asked a great many times if he could tell
how long it would be before the Chicago,
Milwaukee & St. Paul would have com­
pleted their line to Jamestown. In each
instance he was compelled to reply by
saying that he did not know and we
don't know, neither does that road know.
The facts are neither the St. Paul road or
tne Northwestern will come to Jamestown
until it is policy for them to do so, or in
other words so long as it is policy for
them not to do so. At the present writ­
ing every bit of the Northern Pacific bus­
iness, both passenger and freight, be
wee Chicago and St. Panl is being
equally divided between the St. Paul
road and the North Western, which busi­
ness is worth more even in its divided
state, to either of these lines than a line
from here to Ellendale or Aberdeen could
possibly be, and so long as the Northern
Pacific railroad company can make it an
object for these lines to keep away from
Jamestown they will do so. Should the
Northern Pacific commenee figuring for
a line of their own between St. Paul and
Chicago, then these roads would begin to
think about extending their lines into
iU territory. There is no question how­
ever but that the time is not far distant
when Jamestown will enjoy the benfits of
a southern outlet.
While oo liie way out from St. Paul
yesterday, the writer had the pleasure of
making the acquaintance of V. F. Steele,
proprietor of the town of that name,coun­
ty seat of Kidder county. Mr. Steele was
on his return from Yankton where hfc has
been in the interest of the bill
before the legislature authorizing the
bnilding of a $20,000 court house in
Steele and which he had the gratification
of seeing become a law. Mr. Steele is a
clever and enterprising gentleman and
deserves the success that has attended his
efforts, and will no doubt be further re­
warded by seeing his town grow and
with the rapidity that charac­
teristic ot the booming towns of North
Dakota, In which none congratulates him
does the Alert. Mr. Steele in
the Alert that Mr. Nickeus is em
•IrtlfiBt the leader of the council, and
and baa
his favor
and
feaUcr stttttM be ever dwire it. With
ot Mr. Ktefcem la the cow
*»Wteeqgnaeea in that bod^
record that will tell in
William waking ^a $2
QCUM
LOCAL AFFAIRS
From Saturday's Daily.
From Illinois.
1 have now been here four days and
have.been under the cross-fire of from
two to half a dozen questioners concern­
ing Dakota whenever 1 make my appear­
ance down town ever since. I think 1
have been interviewed upon the subject
by at least two hundred different per­
sons most of whom express either a de­
termination or a desire to go there. 1
advise no one to pull up and go, but tell
them what men have done and are doing
and leave the going wholly with their
own judgment. There is but one class
whom I positively and emphatically ad­
vise not to go to Dakota, and that class is
made up of the goods-box wliittlcrs and
those who are always "waiting for some
thing to turn up."
Quite a number of families are making
preparation to move out to Dakota in the
spring, out most of those so far as they
had' already decided upon emigrating
have contracted for their transportation
to points on the C. M. & St. 1\ and C. «fc
N. W. in the southern part of the terri­
tory, mainly about Huron. These rail­
road companies have local agents estab
lished all through this country empower­
ed to contract through freight cars to
any point on their lines at a low rate
—from this place it is $70 per car. There
seems to have been no inducement in the
way of cheap freight to points in North
Dakota on the line of the N. P. railroad,
and it is hard to convince people that the
advantages of the northern portion of the
territory is enough better to justify the
increased expense in getting to it. So
long as these things remain, just so long
will tho odds be against us in the way of
inducing immigration.
To those who oiler the objection of
cold so extreme that a person cannot live
I offer myself in refutation, and I can
truly say that in an experience of thirty
years with the winters of Illinois I had
suffered more here with the cold in the
same ainodnt of exposure than I did in
Dakota. But after all 1 find this objec­
tion come principally from those who
would be of no advantage to the territory
if they were there, except to count in the
census report. Some raise the objection
that the great wheat lands will soon
wear out. That same objection was
made against Illinois in refernce to the
production of corn in its early settlement,
but none of the croakers ever lived to see
their fears realized, and the same will be
true of those who croak about Dakota
wheat lands. That is a question thao
they may well refer to their posterity.
The streams in this country are higher
than ever before ^known, and railroad
bridges have been swept away in large
numbers, so that trains are very uncer­
tain. It rained all last week until Fri­
day night when the mercury fell from 56
above to zero in about six hours. Busi­
ness of ail kinds is dead here and has
been ail winter. Most of the merchants
are wishing they could sell out and go
somewhere where there is more life and
trade. The corn crop last year was very
little above half a crop, and a great deal
of that has been damaged by the snow
au'1 ice of the winter.
N
J. C. WAKNOCK,
Mason City, 111.
American Citizens.
Our patriotic citizen, Mr. Anton Klaus,
wishing to celebrate the anniversary of
Washington's birthday, went canvassing
yesterday for powder, etc., to "cannon
izc" this morning. He canvassed inef­
fectually among the American citizens
for the powder, but all he could get from
them was the matches. The German and
Irish citizens furnished the powder. Oh,
Americans! thy patriotism waneth sadly
we fear.—Capital.
The Alert protests against any conduct,
either by word or deed, that tends to the
glorifying of any class of citizens because
of an accident of birth. The above para­
graph smacks loo strongly of the style of
some oflice-seekers this country produces.
So-called politicians sometimes are Ted to
believe that to gush over foreigners is the
sure road to success. They think in ex­
tolling the virtues of our foreign-born
citizens, and at the same time disparag­
ing the native-born, they are paving the
way "to glory and to fame." Mr. Klaus
is a gentlemen respected by all, but not
because he was born on the other side of
the water, but on account ot ins oroad,
liberal spirit, and his readiness to con­
tribute to the public welfare. In this
country neither native birth nor foreign
birth should avail anything, but the wish
and ability take hold and work for the
good of the community and the coui.lry.
The following from an eastern exchange
may prove useful. It gives the views of
Mayor Edson of New York on the sub­
ject:
A number of Germans waited on Mayor
Edson and suggested that it would be em­
inently proper to recognize the claims of
German democrats in the matter of pat­
ronage. The mayor replied that he wish­
ed the idea might become better appre­
ciated that when Germans, Frenchmen,
Danes and lrismen come here and be­
come citizens they cease to become Ger­
mans or Irishmen or anything but Amer­
ican citizens, entitled to a citizen's rights.
The delegation looked at each other in as­
tonishment.
From Sunday'w Daily.
Spring.
The cold winds of winter have nearly
blown themselves out. Their freshness
and power are beginning visibly to wane,
and they take hold with a more feeble
grip. Soon they will lose their remain­
ing strength and die and give place to the
gentle zephyrs that bring joy and glad­
ness and sunshiue with them. The snow
which comes .with Winter's first breath is
the great redeeming feature of
Nature's close season. But for it winter
would be cheerless indeed. It forms a
mantle in which mother earth is wrapped
and protected from chill frosts. It gives
us a means of conveyance over which we
can travel awl carry our burdens with
facility. It affords alight and brightness
without which the season would be a
petted of gloom. The now, however,
mast go with the advent of spring. It
areita aad turns to vapor, descending
agm in the fotm of genial rain. which
imakm the earth give to the
comes ou apace, bringing warmth and
love. All nature will awake and rise to
receive the greeting of her smile. The
flowers will open their petals and sparkle
with gladness. The birds will return
from their far-oil" hiding places in other
climes and sing their songs of praise to
the warming sun. There will be a return
of all things living ns from the tomb.
These seasons are typical of human
life. As in winter all tilings of nature
are gin a state of sleep and death,
from which they awake with the coming
of spring, so there are times in man's ex
perience when he may be said to sleep as
to a particular phase or state of lile,
from which he wakes into another to re­
new himself. His childhood dies that
youth may come forth from that death
and the life be renewed on a higher and
more active plane. Youth in like man­
ner passes into the grave, from which
rises a more fruitful and more perfect
manhood. Aud finally the man dies as
to his body that he may rise again as to
li'is spirit or real man into a more glorious
spring, a more fruitful summer, lie puts
off the chrysalis state of this world to
rise into the butterliy state of a higher.
Spring should find men advanced with
their life's work. In tins Northwest it
brings tliem nearer the attainment of a
position of competency. Each succeed­
ing season gives them anew phase of
farm life. More land has been brought
under the plow The duties arc more
extended, tho life broadened. And tiie
mind and character should grow broader
and better as each step is takeu. So the
lesson of the season will not be lost.
The Value of Railways.
Nowhere in the wide world is the ben­
efit conferred on mankind by the inven­
tion of railways more manifest than here
in the great West of America. Where
the railway goes there is to be found civi­
lization, intelligence, comfort. The
wilderness and solitary place become
glad, and the desert is made to bud and
blossom and bring forth the rich produc­
tions which make men happy. Here in
the central part of the American conti­
nent i.re extended plains which would
still continue for generations the home of
the buffalo aud the savage red man but
for the invention of the tramway. But
the iron horse drives these before it, and
they recede to distant parts where his
whistle cannot be heard. Along the line
of his travel gather men who love litera­
ture, science and art. These cause the
transformation scene which takes place.
Here in Jamestown we have an illus­
tration of what the railway docs for a lo­
cality. Imagine if j-ou can what our
city would Jje without it. None of our
fine buildings would have been erected.
If white men were found here at all the
would be but few, who would be living in
huts, like savages aud trapping wild ani­
mals for the paltry return their fur
would bring. Our rich land would be
valueless for cultivation because its pro­
ducts could not be transmitted to the
markets of the world. But with the com­
ing in of a railway what a change comes
over the scene! Not only does civiliza­
tion appear, but the very earth advances
from being a thing of no value and be­
comes worth from ten to fifty dollars an
acre. This sudden assumption of value
is due to the providing of facilities for
transmitting the products of the country
to those parts of the world where they are
to be consumed and bringing back those
things that are required for use here.
The more these facilities are increased
the more valuable does our land become.
What wonder, then, that there should
be a great desire to have railway compe­
tition in any locality which shall reduce
the rates of freight to the lowest possible
price? In proportion as this reduction
takes place, in the same proportion does
the value of property increase. It
is believed that the moment
work is begun on a road to
come in from llie south that moment
farming land in the vicinity of this city
will rise in value from one to five dollars
per acre. City property will also advance
in like proportion.
When therefore the report was circu-,
lated this week that the Milwaukee com­
pany Had it among their plans for this
season to complete their line up the
James liiver Valley to Jamestown, there
is no wonder the news was caught at
with great avidity. The announcement
was nj£de apparently without authority,
and it is not well to place much confi­
dence in it. The advisability of such a
line to complete the Milwaukee system is
apparent, but it is by no means certain
that the road will be built this year.
It would be well, then, for our board
of trade to still keep at work in their
efforts to make another read an assured
fact. There is no douot but that any in­
ducements we can offer will have their
weight with the company in deciding
them to go on with the work at once.
This is a matter in which it is important
to take early steps, because the longer it
is delayed the more difficult will it be­
come to carry it through to success.
And we lose otherwise by delay.
ResigncJ.
Special to the Alert.
ST. PAUL, Feb. 24—Agent P. M. Daly
resigned his position as station agent at
Jamestown to-day. Cause not known,
but it is said that it was on account of a
personal quarrel with the auditor of the
road.
Mr. Daly has been in the employ of the
Northern Pacific company for years and
for the past eighteen months agent at
this station. He is an accommodating
and pleasant gentleman to transact busi­
ness with and our citizens generally will
regret his departure. The station is in
the charge of Traveling Auditor
Meioy who will remain until another
agent is appointed.
A University for Jamestown.
The lev. J. II. Hartman lias lieen in
correspondence with some of the mag­
nates of the Baptist denomination in
New York City relative to the planting
of a university by that church in the
beautiful metropolis of the James river
valley. Messrs. Atkinson, Parnell and
1
".
Sf^'^'PSI WW
acres of land for a site for the institution
on the high bluffs south of the river com­
manding a line view of the city with the
timber fringed stream between. II. 1J.
Mooreliouse, D. D., secretary of the
home mission society, proposes tj visit
•Jamestown this summer to look the
ground over and further consider and
weigh the matter. The Baptist denomin­
ation have no university or college this
side of Chicago, and propose establishing
one somewhere in the northwest at an
early day. Certainly a more healthy or
elighll'ul location could not be chosend
than Jamestown,
and
the Alert earnestly
hopes the scheme .will materialize.
Bismarck's Boom.
Bismarck was so fortunate on Friday
as to have one of the territorial institu­
tions of Dakota voted to that booming
city as its location. The council at
Yankton passed the house bill locating
the Noith Dakota penitentiary there, and
appropriated $50,000 for its construction.
We congratulate the Banner City ou this
piece of good fortune. It will be a good
starter for lier. The expenditure of so
large an amount
rin
public buildings will
give it quite a lift in the building boom,
and the continued ^ut!ay of the money
required to keep the institution in proper
running shape will be a sourcc of enrich­
ment to the place. Bismarck is going to
make one of the big cities of Dakota. She
is now shaping in the right direction.
Iler old, frontier character has passed
away and she already takes rank as an in­
telligent, orderly towu. Bismarck
will have a big boom this year, and every
citizen of Jamestown will unite with the
Alert in wishing that her prosperity may
long continue.
From Tuesday's Dull}
Repealing the Prc-Eniption Law.
The Alert yesterday received tho fol­
lowing special telegram on the subject of
the proposed repeal of the pre-emption
law by congress:
FAKCO, L' eb. 20—A delegation of prom
iueut citizens of Grand Forks reached here
this evening and are thoroughly arousing
our citizens in regard to the danger to
North Dakota at Washburne's success in
getting his repeal of the pre-emption act
passed through the house, attached to the
sundry civil appropriation bill, which af­
fects the homestead law in sucli a way as
to be detrimental to tho interests of in­
coming settlers. Dispatches are being
sent from all sections of the territory to
delegates Pettigrew and liayinonu to
have the Wasburue section stricken out
of the sundry civil appropriation bill by
the senate. They believe that hundreds
of thousands of dollars worth of damage
will be done to Dakota should that
amendment become law. Let your citi­
zens act promptly by telegraph.
The above matter was laid before the
Jamestown board of trade yesterday after­
noon, at a meeting called for the purpose,
when a committee was appointed con­
sisting of Mr. Marsh, Rose and Wade, to
draft a protest against the repeal, to be
signed by the president and secretary ol"
the board and forwarded to Washington
by telegraph. Accordingly the following
dispatch was sent last night to Delegate
Pettigrew, Delegate-elect Raymond, aud
O. II. Hewitt, representative of the board
of trade in Washington.
JAMESTOWN, D. T., Feb. 20.—The
Board of Trade, in special session, re­
quests your best efforts in the senate to
prevent the repeal of the pre-einpliou
laws. A. KLAUS, Pres.
1. C. WAUE, Sec.
The feeling is very general throughout
Dakota that the repeal of the pre-emp­
tion laws will be a great detriment to the
territory, and hcnce protests are being
sent-to Washington from every quarter.
The abolit on of pre-emption would
greatly tend to retard the settlement of
the cpuntry. As long as there is so much
wild land in the United States congress
should use every possible means of get­
ting actual settlers upon it. But the
adoption of an illiberal policy will have
a contrary effect. DaKota is just now
more interested in this matter than any
other section of the country, and her pro­
test should have some weight with the
senate.
A Jamcstouiau in Washington.
FHIEM) MCCLUHE:—Once more 1 ven­
ture to write you a few lines, not as a
news article, but as a supplication for
news for the sunny south as it is termed
below here but I assure you I saw but
little of the sun while there. Now I
want you to send the Weekly Alert for
one year to the enclosed address and
when I get home come iiyind get your
money. For some reason the copy we
have been sending for the last two years
don't reach its destination. Whether it
attracted so much attention that it was
taken from the mails by the hungry ones
or whether they were afraid of letting so
much light go into that dark country, I
know not but we will try once more at
any rate. We have every reason i.o be
proud of our papers. The papers of these
old countries and cities can't compare
with ours of the Morthwest.
Congress don't seem to be doing any­
thing hut quarrel over the tariff aud ap­
propriation bills, there are no hopes of
their reaching a conclusion this 47ih ses­
sion.
Burrows, of Michigan, is diligent in
the interest of Dakota, lie is trying his
best to fetch np the admission oill again
before the close. Pettigrew seems to be
held in high regard here and has woi'ked
zealously in the interests of the territory.
Raymond is spoken of with caution, but
is loaked upon as a shrewd man and a
hard worker. I think he will be an im­
partial delegate. I am told that he is
more than favorably impressed with
Jamestown and did his best to secure a
land office for us.
Major McLaughlin, of the U. S. Indian
department, at Standing Rock, I). T.,
formerly of Devil's Lake, is here for the
first lime, after a twelve year's service in
the department, on an unlimited visit.
He is, as we all know, a model agent,and
every one who knows him will be pleased
to know that he is appreciated by the de­
partment. 1 learn that Sitting Bull and
tribe are to be sent back to the Standing
Rock agency, by bis (Sitting Bull's) own
request. This shows that the Indians
have confidence in him, he is a worker
for Dakota.
T«I TAW without doubt betid «f UM
scandal injiigh life that is agitating this
city. It readies the highest point. 1
have tried to get a paper that had it in to
send to you, but arrived too late. I have
a good dual to toil you about Virginia
polities when 1 get homo, but have tres
ts.scd on your good nature
ci
great deal
farther than 1 intended to when 1 com­
menced, so it is my treat.
I ivmain very respectfully yours,
J. W. Goouiucii.
Krom WtilMiBciny's llully.
information Wanleil.
The Alert yesterday received the fol­
lowing private letter, which is a fair
sample of hundreds received constantly,
and which we are called upon to answer:
FAKMIKGTO.V, Feb. 16, 18S3.
Eurroti AI.KKT:—Your paper to luiud,'
and thanks to \ou for your kindness.
Enclosed please lind one dollar, for which
send me the Weekly Alert, and when my
tunc expires 1 will probably be in your
country. .Now, Mr. Editor, there are
several parties want to come out to Dako­
ta, wagon makers, carpenters, plasterers,
laborers and a storekeeper. Can you give
us information how large is the popula­
tion of your city and county? Can such
men gel work in your city? What is the
rate on freight from Chicago to your
town? Can a store with $10,000 or $12,
000 niaku living and more? or can you
advise us of any other place besides yours
near the railroad where a store can do a
good bmitiess? How large stocks do your
merchants carry? Have you any Jews in
your town? If so how many? Please tell
us all the particulars, and if wc ever
should meet you will not lose anything
by it. Can there be a storehouse! rented
in the lasr. business part of the town?
What are the rates of rent, per month?
Do you have brick or frame houses? Can
a brickmaker do well there? I don't
want, to trouble you any mure. I suppose
yon know what we want. What is the
distance between your town and Bismarck
and St. Paul. Hoping to hear from you
soon, I am respectfully yours,
A. Kugel.
The above is rather a formidable array
of questions, but most of them are natural
ones, aud the Alert will answer them as
well as it can in a few words for the in­
formation of the many who make similar
inquiries almost every day.
1. The population of Jamestown in
January when the census was completed
was 2,044 the population of the county is
about 4,300.
2. There is a great demand here for
the classes you name, especially carpen­
ters, plasterers, and the like, as then will
be a large amount of building this sea­
son.
3. The rates on freight from Chicago
here can lie learned in Chicago. Tlicy
are less on sctllers'ellccts than ou ordina­
ry merchandise.
4. As to a store being made to pay
here, that depends largely ou the business
capacity of the manager. Our best
houses carry larger slocks than the
amounts named. There are other good
points growing up in this country con­
stantly where excellent business oppor­
tunities of all kinds present themselves.
5. There are two or three Jewish
firms here, including some staunch busi­
ness men.
0. Stores have been built for rent in
the business centre of the city, but usual­
ly they are engaged before they are half
finished. Rents vary according to loca­
tion. They are about the same as in
other western towns of the size.
7. Our buildings are principally framej
though we have some fine brick aud stone
blocks. More bricic buildings will be
erected this season than ever before. The
demand for bricks is an increasing one.
8. Jamestown is a little less than 400
in.les west of St. Paul, and 101 miles east
of Bisinarck.
Frcm Thursday JiuI
'I lie Matter of Freights.
In another column will be found a
communication from a gentleman in
LaMoure county on the subject of freights
as affecting immigration, and the Alert
desires to set people right upon the
subject so that they may place the blame
where it belongs, if there is any blame in
the matter. The correspondent's own
statement would indicate where the blame
belongs, as by the discriminations against
St. Paul of the railroads referred to they
induce emigrants to go into the southern
portion of the territory. While the Alert
lias no sympathy with any railread in ex­
tortion or discrimination, nor is this paper
under any subsidized obligations to the
Northern Pacific or any other railroad
company, we certainly think it unfair and
unjust to blame the Northern Pacific with
the state of affairs complained of. They
have to pay the C. M. & St. P. and C. &
N.-W. full rates for every car brought t°
St. Paul by those companies, and it can­
not be reasonably expected that the N. P.
could or would carry those cars from
that point out here for nothing, or to
compete with those through lines by car­
rying the cars for nothing and giving a
premium of $20 per car besides.
The Northern Pacific is a grand enter­
prise and a great railroad. It was the
first to penetrate the uninhabited wilds
west of Minnesota. It has practically
made North Dakota what it is, and while
it received a large land gr.int those lands
were without value until it pushed its
line through and made them valuable. It
has unquestionably opened up to settle­
ment the best part of Dakota and the
greatest and most profitable wheat growj
ing region the world. Tho?% who have
investigated the subject thoroughly and
intelligently canvassed the question from
a business point of vie A* have not stood
upon the matter of a few dollars in
freights in deciding to locate in North
Dakota.
Those who desire to emigrate to points
along the iiue of the Northern Pacific we
have every reason to believe can obtaiD a
liberal rate Iroin St. Paul for their goods,
and as that is the eastern terminus of the
road, it should.not be held responsible for
the rates exacted by oilier roads to that
point. The fact of other roads exacting
forty per cent, more for cars to St. Paul
than to points farther west is prima facia
evidence of extortion in rates to St. Paul,
and whatever blame there may be in the
matter obviously should be held against
them, and not against the Northern Pa­
cific, wliic& has no control over the sub­
ject up to tbat point, nor any competing
line to that place from the oast or south.
While under this condition of thinf*
4 I W
•••••. -g wo* wsfrf-
"r
our immigration may not be as large ns it
might otherwise be, we ne^d have no
fears of a want of settlers. We will have
all that is necessary for the rapid devel­
opment of our country, and as the superi­
or merits of this section become better
knwn the immigration will increase with
a steady and healthier rapidity.
Coiiiiuunieatcii.
ED. ALEUT:—In your weekly of the lGth
inst appears an account of the appoint­
ment of a committee by the Jamestown
board of trade to secure better rates of
transportation for emigrants over the
Northern Pacific railway, which is per­
haps all right, but he gentlemen of iliai
committee will lind out sooner or Inter
that they are, if such a thing is possible
in timberless Dakota, '-barking up the
wrong tree."
Last winter, as secretary of an Illinois
colony hound for LaMoure county, I se­
cured reasonable rates over the Northern
Pacific from St. Paul to Jamestown, only
to lind out that the Chicago, Milwaukee
& St.. Paul It. R. along which we were
then living would carry us to the end of
their track north of Aberdeen, or to any
point on their line in Dakota for $20 per
car less than they would charge us to St.
Paul alone. The Chicago & North West­
ern was also figured with and they talked
about the same. In other words, they
would neither of them haul us from
Illinois to St. Paul for less than $50, but
they would haul us through St. Paul to
any point on their lines in Dakota for
$30 and M. & St. P. finally gave us a
special train and passenger coach with
special tickets for all our members not
entitled to free passes.
As a natural result our crowd nearly all
settled in Dickey county, although lliey
fully intended in the start to go further
north.
Now this is only one instance out ol
many thousands, and tins spring wi 11
differ from last only in an increase of
immigration and perhaps an iucreasc of
discrimination by these roads in favor
of points tributary to their lines.
If Jamestown really has any idea of be­
coming what nature designed her to be,
the metropolis of North Dakota, let her
citizens prove their faith by their works,
and next summer grade -a road south to
connect with these two great lines, for
they virtually unite at Aberdeen.
Until this is done your city, beautiful
as it is, will be entirely out of the way of
the crowds who must come over one or
the other of these lines, from their homes
to St. Paul, but let your people secure
the right ot way, and grade some of the
road and they will soon find that rail­
roads as well as Providence will help
those who help themselves, and one or
both of these giant corporations will take
your city in and then you will sec cars
hauled from Chicago to Jamestown for
less than they charge from Chicago to St
Paul.
To be sure the Dakota branches of
these great roads are only summer roads,
blocked up with snow for one third of the
year, and seemingly not worth connect­
ing with.
The fact of tlieir east and west lines
being closed every winter at or near the
east line of the territory only proves ilie
itaore conclusively the necessity and the
natural advantage of a north and south
road up the James River Valley, by
which the traveling public could get
north of the snow belt onto the ^Northern
Pacific and out into the world by way of
the orange groves of Fargo, and if it were
made a continuous line to Yankton our
legislators would not have to travel quite
so far to reach the centre of gravity.
Jamestown may be sure of one thing, if
she does not secure this southern connec­
tion and some other town will, that town
will be THE town of the North Dakota
just as long as our prairies raise No. 1
Hard. Yours,
1
DUG-OUT.
DAKOTA DOTS.
The Gerroux hotel at Pembina changed
hands last week.
The new Masonic liall at Bismarck was
dedicated Thursday.
A large quantity of lumber is being
hauled into the Devil's Lake country.
The Mandan Pioneer says the bad
lands of Daketa will become a popular
summer resort.
Wm. Finnegan robbed the till of the
Merchant's hotel at Mandan, of $18 and
was locked up Tuesday.
The Inter Ocean says the Mayville peo­
ple send over a dog sleigh daily for their
heavy consignment of goods, which now
can only reach them by way of Port­
land.
Fargo Argus: There is a rumor that
the case made against Druggist Nelson,
for putting up the wrong medicine, was
a put up job by which a bigger fraud
gets $1,300.
Thus far, since the opening of the Da­
kota legislative session, forty-one enact­
ments have been passed, signed by the
governor and deposited with the secre­
tary.
According to .measurements taken
Wednesday, of the width of the Missouri
river at Yankton, the distance square
across the stream, inclusive of sand bars,
is less than half a mile at most places in
this vicinity.
Mr. Dawson, a scientist, who has been
investigating the resources of the North­
west territory, bas discovered inexausta
ble deposits of coal in the Bow and Belly
river regions. He claims that the supply
in a single square mile in some sections is
equal to 9,000,000 tons.
Washington correspondence of Pioneer
Press: E. A. Grant, of Fargo, who was
renominated as postmaster, has declined.
His standing with the post office depart­
ment was excellent. N. N. Tyner, a
brother of ex-Post master General Tyner,
it is supposed, will be nominated in place
of Mr. Grant.
There is a post-office represented in the
Postal Guide as located in Stutsman
county, Dakota, of which no one seems
to know anything. It don't even have a
local habitation, but only a name, and
was probably put down because so many
places are growing up in this vicinity
that the makers of the book feared we
should run out of names for them and
gave us one. It is to be hoped the gov­
ernment don't pay too extravagantly for
the mail service to this mythical place.
(79 week. tl a 4ay at home eaailjr and*
Costly oeUtt INS. AMnssTm «Oo.,Aa
gesh.Wslas
1 Vt^
CONDENSED TELEGRAMS.
NEW YOKK, Feb. 28—Strong's snuff
nulls at Dulch Kills and Maspth, Long
Islaud was seized and destroyed by rev­
enue officers.
AUSTIN, Tex., Fell. 28—A negro WAS
hung by an infuriated mob last night at
Eligin for attempting to rape a little
school girl.
Titov, Fell. 28—Tl.onnis Mays of this
city began suit to recover forly-fou hun­
dred acres of land sold for taxes in
Atasca counly in 1835.
CHICAGO, Feb. 28—Near Palatine, 111.,
three cars ot a train on the & N.-W.
road were ditched. One child injured
and fifty passengers wounded.
NEW YoitK, Feb. 28—Lou sP. Carman,
ex-sei:r«'tary of the JManhaitan Fire In­
surance company is missing since Sunday.
Accounts with company short $40,000.
CAIKO, 111., Feb. 28—The local fall in
the river here is wa inches, gauge read­
ing 52 feet. Rapid decline is expected
from now on. Clear and miid to-n gbt.
CHICAGO, Feb. 28—Geo. 11. Taylor &
Co., large paper and printing establish­
ment confessed judgment this morning
for $120,000. The place was se zed by
the sheriff is now the hands of a
deputy.
LITTLE ROCK, Feb. 28—Wm. Davidson,
a member of llie legislature from Sharp
count}', while intoxicated, jumped into
the river early this morning and drowned
Both houses adjourned out ot' respect to
his memory.
INDIANAPOLIS, Feb. 28—Judge Gres'.ian
in the United States court rendered a fur­
ther decree in favor of the holders of
Wabasli and Western Equipment bonds
for accrued interest amounting to over
$418,000.
AUGUSTA, Me., Feb. 28—The bill rest' r
ing the deatl» penalty passed the house
with amendments permitting the jury io
recommend prisoners to tho mercy ol ibe
court, and giving prisoner's counsels bo
closing argument.
LONDON, Feb. 28—The Duke of Cam­
bridge, presiding at the meeting of the
national rifle association says the associa­
tion looked forward with pleasure to giv­
ing the American team a most hearty
welcome at Wimbledon.
CLEVELAND, Feb. 28—Edward lieLin
died this morning from a bullet wouud
received at the hands of assailants night
before last. Better could not tell who
the guilty ones were. The object of the
murder was thought to have been robbery,
but Belter's resistance frustrated them.
LOUISVILLE, Ky., Feb. 28—The :ifty
third drawing of the Commonwealth Dis­
tribution took place place to-day. Ticket
No. 41,801 drew the capital prize of ^:J0,
000. No. 90,207 drew $10,000. No. !I,T4!)
drew $5,000. Nos. 1C,U37, 17,790,27,158,
30,371, 41,404 and 09,335 each drew $?,000.
BOSTON, Feb. 28—The house defeated
by 127 to 00 the bill giving female citi­
zens the right to vote for city and town
officers, to liaid city aud towu ofiiccs aud
vote.iu town meeting.
Appli ation of Edward Ryan for new
trial overruled. Ryan is under Senteuco
of death for wife murder.
!:T. Louis, Feb. 28—A special from
Alton, 111., says: Tuesday afternoon
John Jones, a farm hand assaulted the
10 year old daughter of fanner Saunders.
Jones fled leaving the child almost dead.
A party artud in pursuit and captured
him after careful search last night when
he confessed his guilt. The tiding
against him is biiter and there is strong
talk ot giving the wretch a taste ol lynch
law.
TOHONTO, Feb. 27—The general elec­
tion ior the province of Ontn-r took
place to-day. There arc eight-eight coa
stitueucies. At midnight the r,it urns in.
dicate that the reform government of
which Olliver Mowat is premier, earned
forty-seven seats, and the opposition tlnr
ty-six. All the ministers were reelected.
Toronto, Ottawa, Kingston and London
returned oppositionists, and Hamilton
ministerialists. Five places are yet to be
heard from. Three will probably rc.ura
oppositionists and two ministerial.
MILWAUKEE, Feb. 27—Great con* erna
tion prevails on account of the toic.iten
ing water famine. The inlet of the water
works is clogged up by ice and reservoirs
contain only half a million gallou^biu ely
sufficient to supply the average consump­
tion for half a day. The water works
were stopped from midnight until this
evening when the pumps started again,
but no water flows. In case of fire the
city would be in severe distress. The
supply was just suificient to cover tho
average consumption, and the bill now
pending before the legislature authonzing
the city to issue $400,000^additional water
bond?.
ST. PAUL, Feb. 27—The governor sen
in the following nominations ut noon to*
day and tliey were confirmed Insurance
commissioner, A. li. McGill inspector of
oil, Henry A. Castle superintendent of
public instruction, D. L. Keihb•: state
librarian, W. II. 11. Taylor warden of
the state prison, J. A. Reed surveyor
general of logs, Wm. S. King, of Minnea­
polis Leonidas Merritt of Duluih .lohn
S. Proctor of Stillwater regents oi the
state university, Knute Nelson (v:( Ed
gerton),Jolin S. Pillsbury (vice Marshall),
C. K. Davis (vice Tousldy), Grocnlef
Clarke, reappointed normal sei.« o| board,
A.C. Hickman (vice Wright), I!. Wil­
son, Sanford Niles, J. C. Whitm .: trus­
tees of insane asylums, M. J. tunnels,
John F. Meagher trustees of deal and
dumb and*blind, G. B. Whipple and R.
A. Moot state reform school managers,
W. lngersoll, T. B. Walker (vice Geo.
Lotis) prison inspectors, E. G. Bulls and
John Delaittre members of st^te board
of equalization, 1st district, S \V. Fur
bcr of Washington county, vice It Leh
micke, August 12, 1882 3rd district, J. S.
Lawrence of Wabasha county, reap­
pointed August 12, 1882 5th district, Z.
Page of Dodge county, reappointed
August 12, 1S82 7th district, Thos. Mont­
gomery of Nicollet county, reappointed
August 12, 1882 loth d.strict, John
McNally of Houston county, vice E. W.
Trask, resigned August 12, 18£2 11th
district, Hugh Thompson of Polk county,
vice A. N. Leip resigned^ ..
7
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